2025-2026 Wharton MBA Academic Calendar

Dates are subject to change.

AUGUST

Tuesday, August 5

Pre-Term Exercises Commence for Wharton MBA Class of 2027

Thursday, August 14

First Day of Fall Semester for Wharton MBA Class of 2027 

Thursday, August 14 – Wednesday, August 20

MGMT 6100: Foundations of Teamwork and Leadership 

Thursday, August 14

Course Match Closes (12:00PM ET)
Last day for students to report and modify utilities for Fall 2025 courses.

Tuesday, August 19

Course Match Schedules Released
Students will receive an e-mail notification once schedules have been released. Drop/Add “Buffer” period begins at this time.

Thursday, August 21

Course Match Drop/Add “Buffer Period” Closes (12:00PM ET)
Course Match interface will close and registration requests will be processed. Students will receive an e-mail notification late afternoon when results have been released.

Monday, August 25

Wharton MBA First Day of Fall Semester for Wharton MBA Class of 2026
MBA Q1 and Full Semester Core & Elective Courses Begin

Tuesday, August 26

University of Pennsylvania First Day of Fall Semester

Friday, August 29

Drop/Add Deadline: Q1 & Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
If a course is at capacity as of August 29 at 11:59PM ET, dropping the course after that date and time will warrant a “W” on your transcript for holding a seat that one of your classmates may have used. August 29 is also the add/drop deadline for all Fall 2025 sections of WHCP.

Adding a Q1 or full semester course after this date requires the instructor’s written permission and is only permissible in extraordinary circumstances.

Last day to change course prefix in Course Match (e.g., switching FNCE 7210 to REAL 7210).

SEPTEMBER

Monday, September 1

Labor Day
Classes do not meet

Tuesday, September 2

Deadline for Non-MBA Students to Request a Path@Penn Permit for Fall 2025 Quarter 1 and Full Semester MBA Courses
Non-MBA students can access more information here.

TBD

Last Day to Add Fall 2025 Non-MBA Courses

Monday, September 15

Change of Grading Status Deadline: Q1 & Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
Elect letter grade or pass/fail option for eligible Q1 and full semester elective courses. This deadline applies to Wharton AND non-Wharton courses.

*Any course taken for a core substitution must be taken for a letter grade.

Monday, September 15

Final Day to Drop Q1 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q1 course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit.* Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

OCTOBER

Monday, October 6

Last Day of Q1 Core and Elective Courses

Monday, October 6 – Wednesday, October 8

Core Exams

Thursday, October 9 – Sunday, October 12

Fall Break
Classes do not meet

Monday, October 13 – Friday, October 17

Monday, October 20

First Day of Q2 Core and Elective Courses

Friday, October 24

Q2 Drop/Add Deadline (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q2 course at capacity after this date and time will warrant a “W” on your transcript for holding a seat that one of your classmates may have used.

Adding a Q2 course after this date requires the instructor’s written permission and is only permissible in extraordinary circumstances.

Friday, October 24

Final Day to Drop Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a full semester course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

Monday, October 27

Deadline for Non-MBA Students to Request a Path@Penn Permit for Fall 2025 Quarter 2 MBA Courses
Non-MBA students can access more information here.

TBD

Advance Registration for Spring 2026 Non-Wharton Courses

Wednesday, October 29  

Course Match Opens for Spring 2026 (12:00PM ET)
Students may begin to enter and modify their utilities for Spring 2026 courses.

TBD

Final Day to Drop Fall 2025 Non-Wharton Courses
Dropping the non-Wharton course after that date will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges.

NOVEMBER

Friday, November 7

Change of Grading Status Deadline: Q2 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Elect letter grade or pass/fail option for eligible Q2 elective courses.
*Any course taken for a core substitution must be taken for a letter grade.

Friday, November 7

Final Day to Drop Q2 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q2 course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

TBD

Add/Drop/Swap for Spring 2026 Non-MBA Classes Begin.
Visit Path@Penn for more info.

Tuesday, November 25

Wharton MBA and University of Pennsylvania Operates on a Thursday Schedule
MBA classes scheduled on Thursdays only WILL MEET.
MBA classes scheduled on Tuesdays only WILL NOT MEET.

Thursday, November 27 – Sunday, November 30

Thanksgiving Break
Classes will not meet.

DECEMBER

Wednesday, December 3

Last Day of Q2 and Full Semester Core & Elective Courses

Wednesday, December 3 – Monday, December 8

Core Exams

Monday, December 8

Course Match Closes (12:00PM ET)
Last day for students to enter and modify their utilities for Spring 2026 courses.

Monday, December 8

University of Pennsylvania Last Day of Classes

Tuesday, December 9 – Wednesday, December 10

Final Exam Reading Days

Thursday, December 11 – Thursday, December 18

Final Exam Period

Monday, December 15

Course Match Schedules Released
Students will receive an e-mail notification once schedules have been released. Add/Drop “buffer” period begins at this time.

Wednesday, December 17

Course Match Drop/Add “Buffer Period” Ends (12:00PM ET)
Course Match interface will close and registration requests will be processed. Students will receive an e-mail notification late afternoon when results have been released.

JANUARY

Monday, January 5 – Tuesday, January 13

Focused Recruiting Period (FRP) – Start of First Year Interviews

Monday, January 5

Beginning January 5, MBA students requesting to add/drop/swap Spring 2026 non-MBA courses must email their request to mbaprogram@wharton.upenn.edu

Monday, January 12 – Friday, January 16

Wednesday, January 14

University of Pennsylvania First Day of Spring Semester
University Operates on a MONDAY Schedule

Monday, January 19

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day observed
Classes do not meet

Tuesday, January 20

Wharton MBA First Day of Spring Semester
MBA Q3 and Full Semester Core & Elective Courses Begin

Monday, January 26

Drop/Add Deadline: Q3 & Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
If a course is at capacity as of January 27th at 11:59pm, dropping the course after that date and time will warrant a “W” on your transcript for holding a seat that one of your classmates may have used. January 27th is also the add/drop deadline for ALL Spring 2025 sections of WHCP.
Adding a course after this date requires the instructor’s written permission and is only permissible in extraordinary circumstances.
Last day to change course prefix in Spring 2025 Course Match (e.g., switching FNCE 7210 to REAL 7210).

Tuesday, January 27

Deadline for Non-MBA Students to Request a Path@Penn Permit for Spring 2026 Q3 and Full-Semester MBA Courses
Non-MBA students can access more information here.

Tuesday, January 27

Last Day to Add Spring 2026 Non-MBA Course

FEBRUARY

Monday, February 9

Change of Grading Status Deadline: Q3 & Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
Elect letter grade or pass/fail option for eligible Q3 and full semester elective courses. This deadline applies to Wharton AND non-Wharton courses.
*Any course taken for a core substitution must be taken for a letter grade.

Monday, February 9

Final Day to Drop Q3 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q3 course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

Friday, February 13

Last Day to Add/Drop Sections 001 and 003 of Strategic Marketing Simulation (MKTG 6130 001, MKTG 6130 003)

MARCH

Monday, March 2

Last Day of Q3 Core and Elective Courses

Monday, March 2 – Friday, March 6

Core Exams

Saturday, March 7 – Sunday, March 15

Spring Break
Classes do not meet

Monday, March 9 – Friday, March 13

Friday, March 13

Last Day to Add/Drop Sections 002 and 004 of Strategic Marketing Simulation (MKTG 6130 002, MKTG 6130 004)

Monday, March 16

First Day of Q4 Core and Elective Courses

Friday, March 20

Q4 Drop/Add Deadline (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q4 course at capacity after this date and time will warrant a “W” on your transcript for holding a seat that one of your classmates may have used.
Adding a Q4 course after this date requires the instructor’s written permission and is only permissible in extraordinary circumstances.

Friday, March 20

Final Day to Drop Full Semester Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a full semester course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

Friday, March 20

Deadline for Second-Year Students to Declare/Update Majors

Monday, March 23

Deadline for Non-MBA Students to Request a Path@Penn Permit for Spring 2026 Q4 MBA Courses
Non-MBA students can access more information here.

TBD

Advance Registration for Fall 2026 Non-Wharton Courses

TBD

Final Day to Drop Spring 2025 Non-Wharton Course

TBD

Fall 2026 Course Match Opens (12:00PM ET)
Students may begin to report and modify their utilities for Fall 2026 courses.

APRIL

Friday, April 3

Change of Grading Status Deadline: Q4 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Elect letter grade or pass/fail option for eligible Q4 elective courses.
*Any course taken for a core substitution must be taken for a letter grade.

Friday, April 3

Final Day to Drop Q4 Courses (11:59PM ET)
Dropping a Q4 course after this date and time is considered a withdrawal and will warrant a “W” on your transcript and the course credit unit value will be counted against your 21 CU limit*. Students who exceed the 21 CU limit are subject to additional tuition charges. You cannot withdraw from a course once the last class session has begun.
*CU limit will vary for dual degree/joint degree students

Thursday, April 23

Last Day of MBA Q4 and Full Semester Core & Elective Courses 

Thursday, April 23 – Wednesday, April 29

Core Exams

Wednesday, April 29

University’s Last Day of Classes

Thursday, April 30 – Friday, May 1

Final Exam Reading Days

MAY

Monday, May 4 – Friday, May 8

Monday, May 4 – Tuesday, May 12

Final Exam Period

Sunday, May 17

Wharton MBA Commencement Ceremony

Monday, May 18

University of Pennsylvania Commencement Ceremony

Revised January 2025